Produce container and tray insert



Sept. 6, 1960 R. K. SCHWEBS 2,951,524

PRODUCE CONTAINER AND TRAY INSERT Filed Jan. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VEN TOR. Poas e K j wfas ATT United States Patent PRODUCE CONTAINER AND TRAY INSERT Robert- Kent Schwebs, Appleton, Wis., assignor to Cornell Paperboard Products Co., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Jan. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 708,132

6 Claims. (Cl. 229-15) This invention relates to a produce container and tray insert specifically adapted for shipping and displaying fruit and vegetables.

It is an object of the present invention to package fruit and vegetables and other produce of relatively uniform size, such as apples, oranges, etc., in relatively small easily handled trays suitable for displaying the produce content thereof and adapted to be received with other like trays as inserts within a shipping container. The individual tray inserts are fabricated to receive in interlocking connection support struts which facilitate stacking the individual trays in the shipping container. The preferred construction is such that the individual trays have their respective major axes transverse to the major axis of the container, the length of the individual trays substantially equalling the width of the container. The length of the container substantially equals the combined width of a multiple of trays, for example, three. The height of the container is substantially equal to the combined height of a multiple of trays, for example, three, together with the combined height of the stacking struts and dividing partitions, if any.

Accordingly, when the container is loaded with several trays thus arranged and interlocked with the stacking struts, the stacked and interlocked trays will substantially fill the container. The container is braced laterally because the trays are continuous from side to side thereof. The container is braced longitudinally because the struts are continuous from end to end thereof and add strength and stiffness to the container along its major axis.

Each tray is desirably fabricated with produce receiving pockets having resilient lining tabs hingedly connected to the tray in such a manner as to exert mild centering pressure on the produce items to hold such items in position within the pockets. In the preferred embodiment, the tabs are hinged to the top wall of the tray which is spaced from the tray bottom a distance desirably somewhat less than the height of the produce items for proper alignment therewith of the resilient tabs aforesaid.

The struts which intervene between vertically adjacent trays desirably rest on the top wall of the lowermost tray and extend upwardly a distance sufficient to provide clearance space between the produce items and the bottom wall of the uppermost tray.

In the assembled loaded shipping container, the produce items are each held in confinement in individual pockets out of contact with any other item of produce. The trays occupy the absolute minimum of space and are instantly available on removal from the shipping container at the retail level for display of the produce content thereof. No structure in addition to the struts is required to stack the trays in interlocked relationship within the shipping container.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the present invention with top flaps of the shipping container open to expose the contents thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken through the container of Fig. 1 and along the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tray shown also in Figure 2, but from a dilferent vantage point. 7

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank from which the tray of Figure 2 is formed.

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken along the line 66 of Figure 4.

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken along the line 7--7 of Figure 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 5, but showing a blank from which a modified embodiment of tray is formed.

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section similar to Figure 6, but showing the modified tray of Figure 8.

While the container and tray of the present invention are adapted primarily to display and ship produce items, such as fruit and vegetables, the device of the present invention is equally adapted for the display and shipment of other articles of substantially uniform size and shape.

The package comprises a top opening and closing shipping container 15 which is conventionally rectangular in plan and in side elevation. The container receives in stacked and laterally interlocked relationship a series of trays indicated generally by reference character 16 and shown disassociated from the carton 15 in Figure 2. The blank from which the tray 16 is formed is. shown in developed plan in Figure 5.

The tray and blank consists of series connected panels 17, 18, 19, 2t), 21 and 22. Panel 20 is wider than the other panels and is scored and cut as indicated. Panel 17 has a marginal flap 23. The respective panels and flap 17--23 are connected on score lines 24 and are folded on such score lines 24 into the tray shape shown in Figures 2 and 4. Flap 23 is cemented or otherwise secured to the undersurface of a central rib portion 27 of panel 20 and the otherwise free margin of panel 22 is cemented or otherwise connected to the margin of panel 18 adjacent its hinged connection to the panel 17, as best shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Accordingly, panels 18 and 22 together constitute the bottom wall of the tray. Panels .19 and 21 constitute side walls of the tray. Panel 20 constitutes the top wall of the tray. j

Panels 19 and 21 are provided with broad tabs 28 extending into panel 20 on curved cut lines 26 in the blank of Figure 5 and which extend upwardly above the level of the top panel 20 when the tray is erected as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The turned ends of curved cut lines 26 intersect in mutually spaced relation the score lines 25 at the ends of cross rib portions 31 formed in the top panel 20 of the tray to define notches 29 intervening between the tabs 28 when the tray is erected by hinging the side panels 19, 21 about the score lines 25. The notches 29 receive the struts 30.

The top 20 of the tray is also provided with score lines 40, 41, 45 and cut lines 42, 43, 44 which permit bending tabs 32, 33, 37 from the top 20 between the respective ribs 27 and 31 to open substantially square article receiving pockets therein.

As best shown in Figures 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, tabs 32 are folded downwardly on score lines 45 from the longitudinal rib 27 to constitute resilient walls for pockets between rib 27 and panel 19. Tabs 33 are bent down on score lines 41 from cross ribs 31 to constitute resilient side walls for such pockets. Accordingly, the pockets article 34 is represented as an apple, although other articles, and particularly produce items of uniform size, are adapted to be received within the pockets.

On the other side of longitudinal rib 27 and adjacent wall 21 of the tray, I also provide pockets which in the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 may consist simply of flaps or tabs 37 folded down on score lines 40 from the cross ribs 31.

In this embodiment of the invention such pockets lack tabs such as those present at 32 in the pockes at the other side of rib 27. To this extent the pockets at opposite sides of rib 27 are asymmetrical. However, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, the pockets at both sides of the nb 27 are identical. Tabs 38 are bent on score lines 46 to constitute in the erected tray resilient walls opposite panel 21 (see Fig. 9). In this embodiment, side tabs 39 which are somewhat narrower than tabs 37 of the embodiment shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6 are turned down from the cross ribs 31. Accordingly, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, each pocket shown in the tray has resilient flaps disposed along three sides thereof to center the article 34 and resiliently hold it against movement.

T he tray 16, as just described, is adapted to attractively display the product items contained therein when placed on the counter of the retail market. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tray 16 has eight pockets. I may optionally score the tray on the line 47 to permit it to be readily severed into two sections, each of which contains four produce items.

An important feature of the present invention is the manner in which the individual trays 16 are stacked and interlocked laterally within the shipping container 15. The length of each tray 16 is desirably substantially slightly less than the spacing between the side walls 51 of the shipping container 15. The width of each tray 16 is desirably such that multiple trays 16 can be placed side by side along the length of the container and between its end walls 52. In the embodiment illustrated, the tray has a width equal to one-third the length of the container 15. Accordingly, three such trays may be placed side by side in the container. The height of each tray 16 is also desirably about one-third the height of the container so that nine trays in all may be stacked within the shipping container, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. Of course, the shipping container could be designed to receive any other suitable multiple of trays.

It is important, however, that the major axes of the trays 16 be disposed transversely of the major axis of the container 15 so that the trays substantially completely span the carton from side to side. Moreover, the length of the container 15 should be equal to a multiple of the width of the trays and its height should be equal to a multiple of the height of the trays. The trays will accordingly be firmly seated within the container. The struts 30 are desirably fabricated from strips of compressible corrugated paperboard folded into multiple plies wider in the aggregate than the notches and expand under the resilient bias of their compression into frictional engagement with the margins of the tab notches 2d to hold the struts in position. The struts are desirably of a length substantially equal to the'spacing between the end walls 52 of the container. Accordingly, the struts brace the end walls against shock and add strength and stiffness to the container along its major axis.

The struts 30 are aligned with the cross ribs 31 of the V respective trays and accordingly receive support at spaced points along their length from the -respective tray walls 21, 17, 19. The struts 36 have a vertical height slightly in excess of the spacing between the top edge of tabs 2% and the level of the top of the tray. Accordingly, the struts intervene between vertically stacked trays and support one tray upon the other with 'sufficient clearance space therebetween to accommodate the article 34.

The package of the present invention provides for display of the packaged articles in their own individual trays and permits stacking and shipment of the trays in a conventional top opening shipping container which does not require any additional structure other than the trays and struts 30.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shipping container, a plurality of separate and independent elongated article trays stacked in vertical and horizontal series, said trays comprising article carrying means and being independently removable from the container for article display purposes, said trays having their major axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shipping container and spanning from one side of said shipping container to its other side, said trays having strut locating means spaced longitudinally of their said axes and transversely .of the longitudinal axis of said carton, and struts parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container engaged in said locating means to interlock said separate trays laterally and to intervene between vertically adjacent trays in the stacks thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said trays have tops and side walls which project upwardly above their said tops, complementary walls of horizontally adjacent trays being disposed in face double ply relation, the locating means aforesaid comprising laterally aligned notches formed in said side walls to receive said struts therein.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shipping container, a plurality of stacks of elongated article trays, said trays having their major axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shipping container and spanning from one side of said shipping container to its other side, said trays having strut locating means spaced longitudinally of their said axes and transversely'of the longitudinal axis of said carton, and struts parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container engaged in said locating means to interlock said trays laterally and intervene between vertically adjacent trays in the stacks thereof, said trays having tops and side walls which project upwardly above their said tops, complementary Walls of horizontally adjacent trays beng disposed in face double ply relation, the locating means aforesaid comprising laterally aligned notches formed in said side walls to receive said struts therein, said tray tops being provided with article receiving pockets, said struts extending upwardly above said tops whereby to support the uppermost tray at a level higher than said tops.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the tops of said trays in which said pockets are formed are provided with resilient side walls adapted to bear resiliently on said articles.

5. A tray of the character described comprising upper, lower and side Walls, said side walls extending to a level above the upper wall, said upper wall being provided with article-receiving pockets and with tabs connected on resilient hinges to said upper wall and biased by the resiliency thereof into said pockets, said side walls being provided with strut-receiving notches above the level of said upper wall and aligned at opposite sides of the tray between said pockets.

6. The device of claim 5 in which said pockets are substantially square in outline and are provided with resilient tabs on at least three sides thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,982 Haigh 12111.14, 1919 1,573,149 Engel Feb. '16, 1926 1,933,214 Boeye Dec. 5,1933 2,634,042 Blatt Aprl 7,1953 2,717,116 Vines Sept. 6, 1955 

